Aco drain woes
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Discussion

f3nns

Original Poster:

50 posts

196 months

Yesterday (16:40)
quotequote all
Dear collective gurus, we moved into our house approx 1 year ago and have experienced some render cracking (hairline from window edges, other areas - not really a big deal).

However I knew something was amiss when the front door was stiff to open - cut a long story short but we have an aco run at the front of the house near to the front door (driveway slopes towards it) and this in turn just goes to soakaway at the end of the aco run. I lifted the aco covers with great difficulty and ran a hosepipe from the far end down - there are gaps in between the aco and water is pouring down between them. I believe this is causing huge cracks to now appear at the door and has warped the frame (potentially). The previous owners did the work themselves and have obviously cocked this up (along with a bunch of other 'have a go' hero jobs around the house) but what can I do now to rectify? Can no longer reinstall the aco lids as the drain channels feel so tight now they wont go back in. Water has clearly swollen the ground around them(?)

Im thinking break up the sloping edge of concrete and aco (discard the lot) and install proper DPC and concrete aco with galv lids. Replace the broken up concrete (the sloping edge towards the aco away from the house) with something like this https://www.toolstation.com/bostik-cementone-rapid...


Can anyone else give me any advice as to whether this is the right course of action and what can I do about the door and render......?



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Richard-D

2,164 posts

92 months

Yesterday (16:55)
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Is it not possible that the issues with the ACO drain and crack in the wall are both caused by subsidence? I wouldn't be so sure that the ACO is the cause of the problem and not just another symptom.

JoshSm

4,686 posts

65 months

Yesterday (17:05)
quotequote all
You sure it isn't ground *shrinkage* causing your issues? It has been a bit dry.

Those ACO units should be fine, and not leak too much. If in doubt use some PU Sealant to close the joints.

Doubt the ground could ever swell enough to cause issues getting the covers back, the blocks will be all it sees for most of the edge especially at the top. Seems more likely to be thermal expansion of the blocks tightening it all.